


John and Rose: Watch Con Air

by antikytheranComplicator



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Con Air, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, secret santa gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 02:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9051982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antikytheranComplicator/pseuds/antikytheranComplicator
Summary: Rose decides that the best way to come to terms with her feelings for John is to do that while he's sitting two feet away, enjoying Nic Cage's airplane antics.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [transparentTemptation](https://archiveofourown.org/users/transparentTemptation/gifts).



“Rose, are you trying to tell me you haven’t seen  _ Con Air _ ?”

“Well, that is what I’ve said about five times now.”

The clock on the TV reported the time as a few minutes after ten. Dave had left earlier with Jade in his car, both trying to convince John and Rose that he was  _ just _ driving her home. Of course, everyone knew there was no telling how long they’d stop at Dave’s apartment before making it there. Rose, meanwhile, was left at John’s on the vague assumption that her mom would be coming to get her. It wasn’t much of a surprise when the slurred text came through on her phone: “srry hum cant come gjet you, can johns dad dribe you?” John’s dad, already in his strangely suit-like pajamas, suggested an alternative: “Rose can stay the night if it’s okay with her mother.” Too drunk to care seemed close enough.

“You  _ have  _ to watch it. Are you tired?”

“Not particularly.”

“Okay, we’re watching it now. I think the disc is around here somewhere.”

“In the meantime, I’ll be back in a moment. Don’t miss me too much while I’m gone.” She resisted the urge to wink.

“Ha, I’ll try not to.” 

Rose wandered into a room of John’s house and was greeted by the aroma of a cake cooling on the counter. This wasn’t anything new, of course-- John’s kitchen was nearly always occupied by his father experimenting with the likes of baked delicacies. However, the enigma that is Dad Egbert was missing from his baker’s lair, so Rose elected to indulge her curiosity and take a closer look at the cake. This one appeared to be unfinished-- aside from a thick layer of white frosting, there were no decorations to be found, and Mr. Egbert never let his confectioneries go unadorned. A few unopened bottles of blue and purple frosting sat besides the cake, indicating that the amateur pastry chef would soon return to his craft.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t spent so much time expositing on a cake that happened to capture my attention, and actually do what I removed myself from that couch to do,” Rose thought to herself. She went to the bathroom without spending several hours pondering the true meaning of one particular toothpaste stain on the floor, and returned to the living room with relative peace of mind.

John had already set up the  _ Con Air _ DVD, and was staring eagerly at menu buttons shaped like Nic Cage’s face covering the television screen by the time Rose walked in.

“Well, I got it all set up for you! That took a while-- I hope you weren’t lying when you told me you’re not tired.”

"For your actor of choice's heavily distorted face, John, I would do anything." Rose smirked one last time at the eye cancer being displayed on the television as she sat down next to him.

As the movie finally began, Rose was forced to come to the realization that muscular men discussing hijacking a plane, as aesthetically pleasing as they may be, do not cater to her interests. Perhaps she'd pay more attention to the film if Cameron Poe was a wizard and Cyrus "the Virus" was a many-tentacled eldritch monster. Instead, she found herself twiddling her thumbs and holding back increasingly strong remarks that would fail to savage John's opinion of his favorite film and would instead ruin his night.

...She also found herself holding back a distinct urge to move closer to John, which didn't phase her in the least. Accomplishing this long-delayed goal would require careful planning, critical analysis of said plans, and far too much toying with John's emotions. She'd start with--

"Hey, Rose! Did you just see that? That's the best part, besides the ending!"

Damn it. She'd forgotten that John would be quizzing her on the film. What was it they were talking about? Something about bunnies and boxes…

"Oh? Yes, I did enjoy the bunny Christmas pageant put on by the inmates. The inclusion of a 'punishment box' for those responsible for the crucifixion of Rabbit Christ was an excellent touch."

John couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"Rose! Seriously, why aren't you paying any attention to the movie! I'd watch the Con Air stuffed bunny in some really preachy animated Christmas special, but now's not the time!" It never failed to amaze Rose how quickly the look on John's face could shift from playful laughter to hurt and disappointment. Those puppy dog eyes.

...God damn it. Rose silently pondered for a moment on how John's sheer earnest enjoyment of his favorite movie was so hard for her to tear into. Sure, the sexual and romantic attraction were there, but there's no way they could have influenced her emotions that much--

"Oh, John, I apologize that I was unable to enrapt myself with Cage's magnificent performance, but I've found that there's a more interesting sight in this room." She looked right at him, before scooting about halfway the distance to John on the couch.

She caught herself. Is she really doing this? With John Egbert, the boy who, if told the word "gullible" was on his ceiling, would look up instantly and then paint it there himself to avoid making his friend feel bad for seeing things that aren't there?

"What, Rose, is it the couch? Did you find some loose change in here or something? I know there's probably a few coins lying around here somewhere. You can have them, if you'd like!"

...Yes. Yes, she is.

"Oh, John!" She said, making sure to lean closer and flutter her eyelashes as quickly as possible. "As much as I am tempted by your gentlemanly offer to plunder the no doubt massive profits hidden in this ancient piece of furniture, I find myself significantly more tempted by  _ something with a more relevant presence in this room. _ "

John's expression of confusion remained until Rose just gave up and put her hand on top of his. His look of shock and recognition of what Rose was up to was priceless.

For a brief moment, Rose allowed herself to consider the possibility that she had miscalculated. What if John didn't reciprocate, and saw this whole event as an unnecessarily creepy approach? Would this impact their friendship? Would she be able to show her face around him again? Would--

John suddenly turned bright red, and almost as quickly put his arm tightly around her, pulling her close against his side. "If you wanted to do this the whole time, why didn't you just say so?" The Egberty smile was back, and brighter than ever. Rose had won.

"I wanted to give you a show far more entertaining than anything that Nic Cage could possibly star in. It seems as if I have succeeded."

They spent the rest of the movie sitting there in silence, although Rose did move a little so she could peck John on the lips during the final scene. Ultimately, she found John's grasp so natural and comfortable that she fell asleep right inside of it.

Even when she woke up to the massive embarrassment that was a cake reading "JOHN. IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU HAVE SHARED A COUCH WITH YOUR FIRST PARTNER. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU," she still with as much conviction as possible believed that her actions that night were the best decision she'd ever made.

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, Grace!
> 
> This fic has a bit of a story to it-- the girl I wrote this for actually wrote the first couple of paragraphs several months ago, kept saying she'd finish it, and never did. I ended up finishing it for her.


End file.
